§ 14-140-101 - Maintenance and regulation of markets. - Arkansas Statutes

14-140-101. Maintenance and regulation of markets.

(a) (1) (A) The city council shall erect, establish, and regulate the markets and marketplaces for the sale of vegetables and other articles necessary for the sustenance, convenience, and comfort of the city and the inhabitants thereof.

(B) They shall have power to prescribe:

(i) The times of opening and closing the markets or marketplaces;

(ii) The kind and description of articles that may be sold therein; and

(iii) The stands or places to be occupied by the vendors.

(C) They may have full power to:

(i) Prevent forestalling;

(ii) Prohibit or regulate huckstering in the markets; and

(iii) Adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to prevent fraud and to preserve order in the market.

(D) They may authorize the immediate seizure, arrest, or removal from any market of any person violating its regulations, as established by ordinance, together with any article in that person's possession, and the immediate seizure and destruction of tainted or unsound meat or other provisions.

(2) No charge or assessment of any kind shall be made or levied in any manner against any farmer or producer of vegetables or provisions in bringing them to any market in any city, for standing in or occupying a place, with or without horses and wagon used in bringing the produce to the market, in any of the market spaces of the city, or in the streets contiguous thereto, on market days and evenings previous thereto.

(b) Nothing contained in this section shall be so construed as to authorize the city council of any city to pass an ordinance for the purpose of assessing or imposing any fine or punishment whatever upon any farmer or producer for selling at any time, within the city, any article of provision or vegetables to any person in any street or streets or market spaces during market hours.